to consider this commute feasible (it’s a run to work one)?

[Mysteriousgirl2]

Wondering if anyone else is a run commuter out there.

My (new job) commute is 5-6 miles, rural and no street lighting. I need to be at work for 7:30 and will be leaving at roughly 4.

The roads are a mixture of A and B roads. The A roads are fast but there is mostly a pavement. The B roads are twisty and slow but I’m confident I can pop into the hedge if a car comes (I’m used to this kind of running and not too concerned).

Cycling in would not work for various reasons. There’s no option of part run commute as there are no buses/ trains anywhere near and I’ll need my car once I get home for the nursery/ school run (in opposite direction to my work).

Im keen to increase my daily exercise. Exercising in the morning and evening is tricky as I have 3 very small children.

Has anyone done this or should I stick to home workouts in the dry and then safely drive in to work?

Haven’t really sussed out the showering situation etc yet but there’s bound to be staff showers (secondary comprehensive school).

You’d need to not be carrying anything, not be injured or tired there or back, be weatherproof, and not be going anywhere other than work or home!

I used to do this. But it’s basically 2x10k a day. If it’s not too taxing in terms of hills and you are a seasoned runner (and take the weekends off) then it’s doable.

Sounds like a summer thing to me. I wouldn’t fancy the no pavement B roads in the dark, even with high viz.

Curious why cycling is out?

Whenever I think about cycling to work it's the thought of going home again that puts me off - what if you can't leave at 4pm? What if something crops up? (Is this likely?)

I couldn't face the stress of sprinting home knowing I was late for nursery pickup. I would consider it on days where I didn't have to pick dc up.

It’s very flat. Yes, I wouldn’t be running at weekends. Not a seasoned runner although I did used to be.

I would probs do it 4 days a week and then one day take laundry home and bring the next 4 outfits in.

How did you find it? Did you enjoy it? I think the headspace would be brilliant.

Two 10k runs a day? I’d say you’d need to be very fit to achieve that but my old ceo used to run 7 miles each way 2-3 times a week. He also did marathons though.

I don't know many schools with staff showers?

In all honesty, the roads are just not suited to it. The A roads really scare me, and I’d be able to run on the grassy pavement but it’s too tight to cycle on and too close to the hedge.

I would just be concerned about running on the roads in the dark in the winter. Even with hi viz, on twisty roads it would be dangerous with cars not seeing you until last minute. Could you drive to work early and then go for a run safely from the school somewhere?

That's a lot of running - there and back, 12 miles a day/ 45 miles a week... Weekly mileage of someone training to do a marathon or ultra.

If you're leaving at 4am could you walk rather than run, 6 miles in 2 hours is feasible if it's a power walk!

My concern would be the B roads when it’s dark in winter, in addition to the cars, unless you have a head torch then you will not be able to see the surface, particularly pot holes and could easily go over on your ankle.

You would be mad to run on bendy roads without paths even in daylight.
I'm a runner and I've tried this. If you don't get flattened by a fast moving car you will hurt your ankle jumping into a bush.
Cars panic as well when they see you and swerve to avoid you without looking whats coming the other way.
Please for your own safety don't do it.
Its honestly frightening when you get cars coming in both directions at the same time

Used to do it, until one dark winter morning a van followed me along very very slowly until he pulled away when I finally (thank god) entered a brightly lit stretch of road.

I'm a great fan of fitting exercise into your day but it does sound a lot every day, particularly if you're not a seasoned runner. Carrying all your stuff could be a bit of a pain too, though you can get good running packs for small amounts of kit.

Could you alternate i.e. drive in to work Monday morning (with the clean clothes you'll need etc), run home, run back in the next day, drive home etc. Even that would be quite a lot, you will probably need to build up gradually. Does your work have showers and sufficient storage? I'd be worried about those B roads - make sure you have good lights and high viz gear.

I have two places I work. One is 5 k away, I happily run that
the other is 10k away, and I felt that was too far to do both ways even when marathon training

I sometimes drive 3 miles then run the last 3 in and vice versa at the end- would that work?

the other way I did it was cycle in then run home, and next day run in and cycle home, but sounds like that might not work for you?

I wouldn’t recommend it. It will be a very long day. You’ll be hot and sweaty (or cold and wet and sweaty) and it’s unlikely that there will be showers or places to change.

How are you going to feel at the end of the day if you’re shattered but you r got a 6 mile run ahead of you?

How are you going to carry anything? If you’re teaching you’ll have a mountain of books to bring home that you can’t run with.

Sorry, it’s not a good plan. We had one colleague who tried something similar (cycling - not sure on distance, but long maybe around 12 miles) each day. He swiftly burnt out and resigned with ill health.

Drive to work at 4 and do your run there on pavements etc?

Colleague does something similar but takes bus home.

need to be at work for 7:30 and will be leaving at roughly 4

3.5 hours for 10k. Is 10k really taking you that long? 15-20 mins per km is walking speed. You'd be walking to work. Then not getting home until 8pm

I'm not fast but when running 10k daily I was running 1h10-1h30 for a 10k. If it's taking you 3h plus, I'd suggest you're not (yet) fit enough to run-commute.

No it won’t work IMO

Im a very seasoned runner and often run to work and back (4.5 miles each way) but only when I feel like it and rarely more than two days in a row. Even though I regularly run 30-40 miles a week (or more than that when training for long distance races) double runs (twice a day) are tough on the body and need rest days around them so doing it 5 days a week is too much.

Also, those roads sound unsafe even with high viz and a good head torch as rush hour is notorious for drivers not concentrating and blind bends are the most dangerous.

Last point, do not underestimate the heart sinking feeling of coming out of a hard day at work and knowing you have to run home, already achey as it’s the second long run of the day and you see it’s dark and pissing down with rain. Miserable!

Last point. I think you highly risk injury doing double runs of six miles each way for five days a week unless you are a pro athlete who gets home to physio, a nap, strength work and a good rest in between each session.

She's leaving work st 4pm... not home at 4am.

Leaving to come home at 4, surely? 4pm.

I think you’re nuts to be honest - could you really manage that amount of running 4 days a week, running twice a day on top of working, 3 children and the usual life chores? That’s without the safety aspects, risk of injury from over-exercising etc.

I get it hard to fit in exercise when you’ve got a lot on your plate but this sounds a non-starter to me.

Jesus Christ just your description of it alone has me feeling exhausted op!

You'd need some stamina for all of that plus it doesn't sound the safest. And what if there's an emergency when you're at work, dc ill or something you need to get back for in a hurry?